KIRKUS REVIEW

Teens uncover their
post-apocalyptic, dystopian society’s secret program that segregates those
deemed inferior to use as game in rich men’s hunts.

An orphan nicknamed Book who’s grown
up in an all-boys government-run camp discovers a strange new boy, near death,
in the desert. Book befriends him and learns that after the boys graduate, they
aren’t bussed away for leadership positions as promised—instead, they’re hunted
by the rich as entertainment. Turns out they’re scapegoated Less Thans—a
designation given to undesirable races, religious groups, political dissidents
and a variety of other discriminatory categories. Alternate chapters break from
Book’s first-person, past-tense narration for a third-person, present-tense
account that follows Hope, who’s been running from government soldiers for
years. She and her twin sister, Faith, are captured and brought to a girls’
facility specializing in twins for twisted medical experiments. Brought together
by chance, Book and Hope feel an instant connection. That doesn’t stop them
from making a weak love triangle with another character when small groups from
each camp unite to escape certain extermination. Running for freedom, they face
such perils as soldiers and wolves, but the most dangerous are the hunters,
yielding scenes in which the teens use clever strategy to defend themselves
against the better-equipped hunters. Isbell aims for inventive description
but frequently fumbles, producing phrases like “anvil-shaped face.” Light worldbuilding
leaves too many questions unanswered, paving the way for the sequel.

It’s an exciting concept, but the
execution is for the most part mediocre. (Dystopian adventure. 13 & up)

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